Ukraine’s gas transport infrastructure and underground gas storage can become the key pillars for strengthening European and regional energy security before the onset of the next winter, according to Olga Bielkova, Director of Government and International Affairs of the Gas Transmission System of Ukraine (GTSOU) and Serhii Pereloma, Acting General Director of Ukrtransgaz.
“We can contribute to regional security of supply by transporting gas for short distances between CEE countries, integrating into the renewable gas industry and providing access to gas storage facilities,” said Ms Bielkova during a meeting of the South-East European Gas (SEEGAS) Initiative.
According to her, in order to further strengthen the energy security of the Central-Eastern European region, Ukraine and its partners from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova have a task to strengthen cooperation with such countries as Lithuania, Turkey, Greece and even transatlantic partners.
“The system of Ukrainian UGS is of highest capacity in Europe and can store more than 10 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas from the EU,” underlined Mr Pereloma.
Ukrtransgaz already has contracts with more than a hundred foreign customers of gas storage services from 28 countries. Among them are all the participating countries of the SEEGAS initiative, which confirmed their interest in further expanding the partnership during the meeting.
The GTSOU Director also informed about the interest of Ukrainian traders in obtaining access to LNG facilities. Therefore, to transport gas from the Lithuanian floating LNG terminal in Klaipėda to Ukraine and from the Polish LNG terminal in Świnoujście, the guaranteed capacities on a long-term basis should be increased.
